Hashem Khans Collages of Art
By Bipul K Debnath
Dont be afraid when painting on canvas. Enjoy the freedom and move your brush without any hesitations _ artist Hashem Khan advised Jasmin Akhter, a first-year student of Dhaka Art College, when she showed him a painting she had done. In response to Khans query about her interest in painting, Akhter said she felt good painting natural sceneries on her canvas. Another young artist, Mymum Akhter, also brought a landscape painting to show Khan. Later, they all posed together for a selfie. Like them, many visitors and fans crowded around the veteran artist one afternoon in January at the gallery of Bangladesh National Museum, where his solo exhibition Joratalir Chalchitra (collages of art) was going on.
Describing her experience of meeting Khan and enjoying his artworks, Mymun Akhter told this correspondent: I really feel honoured to be here. I have seen many of his works. He has been working with all mediums. His acrylic or oil paintings seem alive to us. He has also created many wonderful sculptures. But todays exhibition has a lot to offer. I have learned many things here, and I hope to implement them in my paintings.
Pointing to some wooden pieces at the exhibition, Shahiduzzaman, a sculptor, said: Today, I feel good seeing such great artworks. We have seen his other works. But here we see the use of the paper pieces with wood painting as collages, which is the result of the artists longtime experience. I believe his works will give new ideas to young artists and sculptors. Thus, they will be able to contribute more to our modern arts.
Cutting wooden planks and carving them into different shapes, some of them embodying our great Liberation War, Hashem Khan has put on display new types of wood art that includes painting on wood blocks, sculptures and murals at his latest show, which began on January 5.
Despite being an award-winning painter and sculptor, Hashem Khan has added new dimensions to his works at the exhibition. I have used shegun (teak) wood in my works as the woods natural colour always stirs my artistic soul. I have been painting on canvas for a long time. Besides my regular artwork, I have done these pieces with wood, as I wanted to do something new for my fans. There is a type of artwork called collage. I also like using collage in my watercolour paintings, Khan, 75, said.
About using wood, the artist who has won Ekushey Padak and Independence Day awards, said: Before working with wood, I had to get some experience on working with wood. For that, I hired two carpenters, and I have learned a lot from them. Now, I find myself familiar with the material.
Achia Khanom, keeper at Bangladesh Banks Taka Museum in Mirpur, who was viewing some murals, said, After seeing these, I can easily tell they are the works of Hashem Khan. Each of his artwork is very smooth and well executed. He also made two murals for the Taka Museum. For that, people now know about the museum.
Toufiqul Islam, a deputy secretary at the Planning Division, who has been a fan of Hashem Khans art since his student days, said: I am a great fan of his creative works. These are new types of his works, and I have got a new experience from them.
Abdul Mannan, an artist, said, I was a student of Hashem Khan in the 1960s. He is an expert in all mediums of the arts. He has illustrated so many books, especially for children. I have visited so many exhibitions of his. As a multidimensional artist, he has presented new works to us using wood as medium. Most of the works are symbolic. I feel good seeing them. I never imagined he would use wood. I wish him all the best. And I believe he will give us newer types of artworks.
About the thought process behind his works, Hashem Khan said, Descriptive paintings give explanation. My paintings are not of that kind. My works are the representation of my deep thoughts. Self-realisation is the main theme of any creative works. We may see the same things, but we do not feel the same things.
It is the viewers duty to find the difference. They will try to find that. Their opinion is more important than my explanation. I want 100 types of explanations from 100 visitors, the artist added.
After visiting the exhibition, Farida Hassan, a school teacher, opined: I have seen acrylic paintings of Hashem Khan before. But his wood sculptures are really nice to look at. The celestial beauty of nature and the history of our Liberation War have been depicted nicely in the collage works.
A total of 71 artworks, including wood collages, sculptures, murals, paintings and photographs are displayed at the exhibition, which will run until January 31 at Nalini Kanta Bhattasali Gallery of the National Museum in Shahbagh. n
Photos: Writer, Courtesy.
